La Madrugá

Seville, 25 March 2005

La Madrugá in Semana Santa is the group of processions which leave after midnight on Thursday
and pass through the streets of Seville until early in the afternoon on Friday.
It is common for people to stay out all night until the following morning, as we did,
to watch some of Seville's most famous Semana Santa processions.
We start and end the night with food!

Staying out all night means starting on a full stomach. Family and friends gather on Calle Imperial for a late dinner.
We are here to send off a family member who will march with El Silencio.

First a little fun: Jeff seeing what it's like to be a nazareno.
After a few minutes it is already hot under the capirote and antifaz.

Now to dress the real nazareno. At his request we are keeping his identity a secret.
The túnica must be adjusted before fitting the belt.

Now to straighten the antifaz, or hood, so he can see!

Around midnight we send off our nazareno to meet with the rest at the church.
El Silencio begins their procession at 1 o'clock in the morning.

Before the processions of La Madrugá we find Pasión finishing its route in the Plaza de Zurbarán.

We make our way to the Cathedral around 3 in the morning to see El Silencio.
During this procession the crowd is (almost) completely silent.
The Giralda is in the background with the first float of Christ carrying the cross on the left.

The ciriales mark the arrival of the second float of the Virgin.

The Virgin with St. John, passing beneath the Giralda.

We quickly make our way to the other side of the Cathedral to watch El Gran Poder in the Plaza del Triunfo.
It is now about 4 o'clock in the morning but the crowd is now just starting to gather.

The first float passes through the plaza with the walls of the Alcázar in the background.

Again, we run back to the other side of the Cathedral to catch the end of the first float from the Macarena.
It is now close to 6 o'clock in the morning. The feathers from the Roman soldiers helmets can be seen behind the float.

7 o'clock in the morning and the last stop is for churros y chocolate on Calle San Eloy before going home for a nap.